


The Promise

by ColdAndBrokenHallelujah



Category: Zombies Run!
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-09-23 16:54:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9666728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdAndBrokenHallelujah/pseuds/ColdAndBrokenHallelujah
Summary: After being sidetracked by inclement weather Five and Simon are forced to barricade themselves in for the night. What will be revealed when two people, with seemingly nothing in common, are forced together?





	

**Author's Note:**

> No real spoilers here. I would imagine that this takes place somewhere early on in season two.

The rain had started coming down in sheets only a few minutes ago. The two runners who were caught outside the gates were already soaked. They were moving as quickly as they could, trying to get back to Abel. Running with heavy backpacks full of supplies wasn’t helping. It had been a stupid idea to go out with a storm so close. The supplies they had been after were deemed necessary and there had been a time crunch. When Simon solicited volunteers only one person piped up and, predictably, it was Runner Five. “Sam…..give us some direction here.” Simon yelled over the roar of the wind. He took a quick glance behind him and could still see Runner Five. She was being severely buffeted by the wind. He didn’t double back. One thing that he had learned about Five was that if she didn’t ask for your help it was best not to offer it. “SAM!” Simon yelled again.

“I’m trying…..” Sam said, panicking. “I can’t see you two very clearly. The rain is blocking the cams. This isn’t good. This isn’t good. Simon could hear the flipping of switches as Sam changed cams. “Where’s Five, Simon. Is she still with you?”  
“She’s fine Sam. Still behind me. I just looked. Don’t worry I’ll make sure that your favorite Runner makes it back home. Good thing that she came with me. Guarantees that I’ll get back to Abel.”

“Hey!” Sam answered back “I watch out for all my Runners. Are you accusing me of favoritism…..” The fighting continued and escalated until both men were interrupted by a scream coming from behind. “It’s Five! Simon! Where is Five? She’s not answering me!” 

Simon turned around and couldn’t see her anymore. How in the hell did she just disappear? He called her name but his cries were muffled by the weather. He was running back to where he saw her last, calling her again but still wasn’t getting an answer. It didn’t help that Sam kept yelling in his ear. Simon was becoming desperate. “God help me!……FIVE!” He stopped moving for a moment, trying to listen. That’s when he heard it, a small moan that was followed by his name. He looked around and spotted where he lost her. She had slid down a steep embankment. “I know where she is Sam. She fell off the trail. I’m going down to get her.” Simon slowly made his way down to where he could see Five, struggling to extract herself from the muck. The way down was treacherous. He lost his footing several times and there was now mud in places where there should never be mud. 

“A bit of the trail went out from underneath me and I tumbled down.” Five put out her hand and Simon took it. He pulled her to her feet but had to grab her again when her knees buckled and she fell into him. She cried out in pain. “My ankle hurts” Simon tried to take a look but this was not the place to assess the damage. They had to get out of here. “What if it’s broken?”

“We’ll just have to shoot you then.” Simon answered back, trying to hide his concern. He looked around. The only thing to do was to go back the way that they came. It was steep and Simon did not look forward to what he had to say to next. “I have to carry you.” She instantly pushed him away and, as a result, ended up back in the puddle. “I know how you feel about help Five and I know how you feel about me but your ankle might be broken and you cannot get up that incline quickly enough. You’ll slow us down and put us at risk. You’re just going to have to swallow your pride and let me help you.” Five crossed her arms over her chest and wrinkled her nose. “It’s either give in and let me help you or die in a mud puddle. How is this a debatable choice? You’re hurting my feelings Five. Most of the women in Abel would jump at the chance to be in my arms.”

“Five, you have to go with Simon. The rain slows the zombies down but they could still be out there. I can’t see enough and we can’t send anyone else out.” There was a rustle as Sam consulted a few paper maps. “There’s a small enclave of houses a few miles….. maybe two miles…… away. It’s closer than Abel. Pick a house, barricade yourselves inside and wait until this storm passes.” Simon turned in the direction of, where he assumed, the nearest cam and gave Sam a quick salute. He heard Sam’s aggravated groan over his head set.

Simon leaned down and scooped Five out of the mud. He couldn’t help but laugh when he heard her huff in response to his assistance. “Stop it Five!” He said, curtly. “You’re the one making more of it than it is.” He felt her body stay stiff in his arms. She was obviously uncomfortable. When they started moving she was forced to place her arms around his neck. Simon tucked her even closer to his body as he trudged up the hill. Thank goodness she was small and light. Still, he wasn’t looking forward to carrying her a further two miles. 

Simon set out in the direction that Sam had indicated. Five had gone very still. He wasn’t sure if it was from exhaustion or embarrassment. It was a relief when Simon saw the houses Sam had been talking about. He picked one arbitrarily, gave the locked gate a solid kick, and then walked to the back of the house. Back doors were hardly ever as secure as front doors. He found what he was looking for, a door with windowpanes large enough for him to fit his hand through.  


He placed Five down on the back steps and took a moment to shake out his aching arms. He sighed. “Give me your windbreaker Five.” Simon said, putting his hand out. Five quickly snapped to attention. She was looking at him as if he had gone mad. “I have to break this glass.” He said, exasperated. “I don’t want to shred my hand doing it. It’s either your jacket or my shirt. You decide.” With a curse Five stripped off her jacket and threw it at him, aiming for his face. “Thank you Five. If I had known that it would be that easy to get you out of your clothes I would have asked ages ago.” Five’s eyes narrowed into a glare. Simon just shrugged and turned his attention back to the door. He wrapped his hand and punched the glass. It shattered easily, giving them access to the house.

After picking up Five once again he stepped through the door. “Never thought that I would be carrying you over a threshold, Five. It’s like it was meant to be…” Simon laughed and Five continued to glare at him. Her face conveyed everything that she was too angry to say out loud. She was not looking forward to being trapped here with him for an indefinite amount of time. Simon walked quickly through the abandoned rooms and plunked Five down, unceremoniously, in an arm chair. “Don’t go anywhere. I have to make sure we’re secure. Wouldn’t want any zombies interrupting our time together.” Five opened her mouth, as if to say something, but quickly closed it again. Whatever she intended to say had been reconsidered and deemed not worth the effort. Simon dropped his baseball bat and his backpack on the floor as well.

Before he walked out of the room he saw her tap the mic on her headset, meaning that she was signaling to Sam that she wanted to speak to him. There was no mistaking the look on Five’s face. Simon was imposing and she wanted him to leave. She couldn’t have been clearer even if she had said the words, go away. He tore his own headset off and tossed it onto a nearby coffee table. There was no reason to listen to their conversation. 

The door was easy to secure. It was fairly sturdy and zombies couldn’t turn door handles anyway. He covered the, now broken, pane of glass with a nearby piece of cardboard and pulled the blinds. Simon pushed a large piece of furniture in front of both the front door and the backdoor. With one last fleeting look outside, he pulled the blinds. A few rooms away he could hear Five chatting with Sam. She was reassuring him that she was okay, not seriously injured, and very eager to get back to Abel. Simon’s ears picked up an unfamiliar sound. Five’s laugh floated through the empty rooms, infusing life into dead space. It was a sound from a different world. A world before there were supply runs, barricaded doors, zombies, and Runners. A world that he had never felt comfortable in, even before things fell apart.

He listened to Five speak to Sam for several minutes. They had formed an instant friendship that had only strengthened over time. From the moment that Five fell out of the sky and stumbled, bloody and exhausted, though Abel’s gates Sam had his eye on her. Maybe, in the beginning, it had something to do with how she had replaced what was lost. Not anymore though. There were a lot of rumors about how serious it all was. Simon even found himself speculating with the other runners at times. He would intentionally add fuel to the fire simply because he liked to see the results. His assumption had been that they were very good friends. Moments like this made him wonder if things were changing.

Simon walked back into the living room. Five instantly fell silent. He grabbed his own headset and clicked it on. “Sammy, you there?” he said and he plopped down on the nearby couch. “Everything is secure and we are safe. The storm doesn’t seem to be letting up though. We may be here a few hours. Maybe even overnight.”

“Right.” Sam said, uneasily. “I guess I’ll update Janine on the situation then. If the weather lets up before sundown I’ll guide the two of you back to Abel. If not, we will see you tomorrow.” He hesitated. “Sorry bout this Five. You’re injured and I can’t risk you not making back home before dark.”

“I’ll take good care of her Sam. Don’t you worry.” Simon chuckled as he turned his headset off and tossed it aside. He watched as Five removed hers as well. She didn’t toss it tough. Instead she carefully placed it on the floor next to her chair. She looked at it longingly for a moment before turning the full wattage of her stare to Simon. He cleared his throat and hesitated. He knew that Five wasn’t going to be thrilled about what he said next. He had very little energy left to argue about it. “I should look at your ankle.”

“Why?” Five said quickly. “I twisted it. There’s nothing that you can do to fix it and I’m sure I will be able to put weight on it in a little while.” Simon stood up, already exasperated. He had never met anyone as stubborn as Five when it came to accepting help.

“Predictable….” He muttered, angrily. What if it is broken? What if you can’t put weight on it in a little while? It would be nice to know what I’m up against when we try to get back to Abel. Whatever you think I’m up to, forget it. I just don’t want to have to carry you all over the countryside if I don’t have to.” They were just staring at each other now. Neither willing to give in. “Get over yourself Five!”

That seemed to make an impact. “Fine” was all she said, but what looked like an angry pout overtook her face. Simon picked up her leg and removed her sneaker and her sock. He made her move her foot, examining closely how everything was working. It didn’t look bad but was swelling a little. “You have no idea what you are looking for Simon. You were a gym rat, not a doctor.” Her verbal barb sank deep. He needed to get away from her for a second. Simon moved a nearby ottoman closer and placed Five’s injured foot on top of it, putting a pillow underneath to keep it elevated. 

“Have it your way Five.” He said with a shrug. “I might suggest letting me wrap that so the swelling stops, but you know everything. If you don’t want to listen to me that’s fine. What does Simon know anyway? It’s not as if someone who owned a string of gyms and taught fitness classes has ever seen a sprain before.” He got to his feet and stalked to the bathroom. Hopefully these people had well stocked medicine cabinets. Simon rummaged through a few drawers before he spied what he needed. He grabbed it and headed back to where Five was sitting, still looking sullen. He crouched down in order to begin to wrap her injured ankle. At first touch, she pulled her foot back and winced from the sudden movement. “Damn it Five!” He gave her a look that clearly told her to cut it out.

When he finished there was a careful examination of his work. She looked a little abashed and managed to say “thanks”. Simon just smiled and patted her leg. 

“My pleasure Five. All it took was a twisted ankle for me to get within arm’s length of you.” Simon gave her a wink and Five responded by rolling her eyes. He just laughed. 

“Now what?” She said looking around the room. It was starting to get dark. They could still hear the rain beating steadily against the roof and off in the distance there was the distinct sound of thunder. “We’re not getting back to Abel today…..I can’t believe I slipped. Such a stupid mistake. We would be home if it wasn’t for me.”  


“Did the unstoppable Runner Five just admit to screwing up?” Simon feigned shock, clutching his chest and stumbling back a few steps. He looked up and saw Five picking at a hole in the arm of the chair. She was chewing her bottom lip. A constant habit that he had noticed she engaged in whenever she was upset. “Of course, we’re alone and nobody is going to believe it. I don’t suppose that you will say that again when we get back to Abel?”

Five shook her head no. “And shatter the illusion of what an unbelievable badass I am. I can’t. Sorry. That was for your ears only. If they knew how uncoordinated I actually am Sam might never let me through the gates again. They like to think I’m invincible, Sam especially.”  
Simon plopped down on the loveseat on the other side of the room once again. He stretched out, finally allowing himself to relax for the first time since he and Five left Abel. “You and Sam certainly keep the rumor mill churning. Do you know what they say about the two of you?” He knew that it would bother her but Simon wanted to see how far he could push. Getting a rise out of his fellow runner was an entertaining way to pass the time.

“They….” She said, shooting him a pointed look “Should keep their mouths shut. They should also realize that Sam and I aren’t the only ones who are grist for that mill. Bored people in confined quarters find ways to keep their minds occupied. Speculating about what their fellow citizens do is a booming past time these days.” Five sat up straighter. Her dark eyes flashed angrily and focused in on him. “I’ve heard all about you too Simon Lauchlan.”

Simon tensed and sat up quickly “What have you heard?”

“That you’re not very particular or choosey.” It suddenly seemed to Simon that he wasn’t the only one interested in needling his companion. “From the sound of it you’ve bedded half the township. Not that it’s any of my business. You never deny anything. So, it seems like it might be more truth than lie.”

“I’m easily led astray Five and if I can enjoy myself in the process, even better. I make no apologies for that.” He told himself that it didn’t matter what she thought about him. He wore his persona like armor, intent upon keeping most people out. Five shouldn’t be any different, but he was starting to realize that she was. He had been trying to figure out why for weeks. Maybe because he saw a little bit of himself mirrored back when he looked at her, but not quite. She was a better version of him, more selfless and less fearful. She was what he could be, if his own selfish desires and vanity didn’t hold him back and color his decisions. A small part of him hated her for it. A larger part of him was intrigued by it. Perhaps they were too similar to be friends. 

“I didn’t ask you to apologize or explain it to me. I’m just telling you what I heard. Just like you did when you decided that I needed to know what everyone thinks Sam and I are up to.” There was an edge to Five’s voice and he could tell that he was treading on dangerous ground. “Sam and I aren’t up to anything. Just like you and Janine aren’t up to anything.”

“Leave her out of it….” Simon said, hotly

“Leave Sam out of it” Five shot back.

They had reached an awkward impasse. Neither of them were talking and Simon now knew, definitively, that mentioning Sam, in that way, took things too far. “If I said that I was sorry would you accept my apology?” Simon said. He was looking square at Five. She had gone very still and the fact that she was hesitating at all got on his nerves. If she knew how rarely he apologized for anything she might be more inclined to accept faster. The apology hung between them for a moment. Long enough to make it seem like she might reject it.

“Yeah. Fine. Apology accepted. You were just being your normal irritating self. I shouldn’t expect anything different.” Five said. She crossed her arms over her chest, clearly still annoyed. There was silence between them once again. He watched as her gaze traveled to some of the photos that lined the walls. Two people who had been a couple but then slowly morphed into a family. It was not lost on either of them that this house had, obviously, been abandoned for about a year. There was a fine layer of undisturbed dust on everything. 

Simon was watching Five closely. Every emotion moved across her face. Did anyone else ever notice how expressive her face was? He had been forced to notice it because they only ever spent time together when they were running and she hardly ever spoke while they were on missions. Five explained it to him once. Talking might attract zombies and it ruined her concentration. “Most people talk too much and they don’t even know it. They give everything away.” She said once. Whenever they went on runs together he babbled on, making bad jokes and ridiculous observations and she just listened. It was her face that let him know what she was thinking. Sometimes he would see the edge of her mouth quirk up. The closest he ever got to a smile. Seeing the sadness etched into her features now made him say something so optimistic that it bordered on asinine. “Maybe they’re alive.” Slipped out of his mouth before he could stop himself. “There are no zombies in the house and no sign of anything bad happening here. They obviously just left. They even locked the door.” 

Five shook her head. “Like they expected to come back in a few days.”

“Don’t do that Five….” Simon chastised. There was one photo that she had been staring at more intently than the others. It was of the entire family. Four smiling faces that had no idea what awaited them in the future. He stood and without hesitating, crossing the room quickly in order to yank the photo from the wall. Simon tossed it aside, making sure the image could no longer be seen. They were probably all shambling around out there, long dead and beyond caring that there were strangers in their house. He could tell that Five was thinking the same thing. That scenario had become normal. Knowing, without being told, that anyone you could think of was probably a rotting, undead monster. That humanity was dwindling and it was only a matter of time before you joined their ranks. 

“There are far better things to look at anyway.” He was trying to draw her out of her thoughts. “Like me.” He was willing to try anything to get her to stop making that face. Her eyes were still staring at the place where the picture had been and Simon worried that baiting her wasn’t going to work. Several moments and nothing, no sound from her at all. “Five…….” He said, almost pleading with her to speak.

“Can’t argue with that.” Five finally answered back. She finally looked at him again and shrugged. Simon just stood there. He recognized what was happening. She wasn’t flirting back. She was just giving in, allowing him to distract her for a moment, and accepting his help.

“Never knew that you noticed Five.” He said, taking one step closer to her.

”I’m not blind Simon. Obviously, you’re easy on the eyes. Very easy. Too bad you’re not equally as easy on the ears.” She smiled slightly. Simon was sure that he annoyed Five ninety-five percent of the time they were together. For the most part it seemed as though she just tolerated him. “Why do you act this way?” Her voice interrupted his thoughts. “It’s not all the time. Sometimes the real you, or what I’m assuming is the real you, peeks through but you bury it again. I can’t figure you out Simon and it bothers me.”

There was some small satisfaction in knowing that she was just as puzzled by him as he was by her. Still, Simon didn’t have an answer. What could he tell her? He was a sinner and a selfish bastard. He enjoyed temptation and was always looking for the easy way out. Even before the apocalypse he had been faithless and lost, a bad seed. There was no redemption for him and nothing could fix what was broken inside. His eyes met hers. She was just looking at him as if she was actually expecting an answer. “I don’t know what to say Five. What you see is what you get.” He said is with as much confidence as he could muster. He couldn’t escape those eyes. She was daring him to tell the truth but he wasn’t brave enough.

“If you say so Simon.” Finally she looked away, obviously disappointed in his answer. “Tell me someday, maybe. Until then….”

“Things stay the same…” Simon said, angry at himself for his own cowardice. He wanted this to be easier but when it came to Runner Five nothing was easy. 

“Not exactly the same” She answered back. That funny little smile had returned. “You came back for me Simon. I would still be freezing in a mud puddle, or worse, if it wasn’t for you. I won’t just forget that.”

“I’ve always wanted to be someone’s hero” He said with a chuckle “Never thought I would be yours, Five.” She simply waved him off and shook her head. Simon turned his attention to his backpack. He rummaged through it and pulled out a small flashlight. The sun had set and it had become hard to see. He tossed another one to Five.

She easily caught it and flipped it on. Simon stooped down and grabbed his bat. “I’ll take first watch. You should get some sleep.” He also grabbed her headset in order to put it next to his. Didn’t want to lose anything in case they needed to make a quick escape. He saw her genuine panic when he went to take it away. “What’s the matter Five? Do you need Sam to sing you to sleep?”

“No….I….” Without realizing what she was doing Five was reaching her hands out as if to grab the headset back somehow. “We’re going to be outside Abel at night. It’s dark now. I just…..” She trailed off. She didn’t want to admit it out loud. She was scared. Her night spent stranded out in the wilderness had left a permanent scar. One, it seemed, that only Sam knew about. Until now. 

Simon walked over and knelt down next to Five. He placed his weapon back on the floor. Without thinking he covered her hand with his. In the corners of her eyes were, what appeared to be, tears. Whether they were from fear or because she had slipped and Simon was seeing her weakness, he wasn’t sure. “I know that I’m not Sam.” He was surprised that Five made no motion to pull her hand away from his. “But I’m here with you right now. I’ll offer you a deal. No strings attached. I don’t want anything in return and nobody back in Abel has to know.” She was looking at him skeptically but he plowed ahead anyway. “If you’re ever in trouble and Sam can’t help you….I will.”

Five just swallowed and blinked back her tears, still refusing to let them fall. “You’ll find me. Just like that? Is that a promise Simon?” She said, quietly.  


Simon smiled. He made an x over his heart and held up his free hand. It was a silly gesture but all that he could think to do in the moment. Whether she believed him or not he was being serious. Simon grabbed his bat and stood up again. He wanted to check that his barricades were holding before they settled down for the night. Just before walking out of the room he turned and faced Five one more time. “I’ll always come for you Runner Five. I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> Simon is my favorite character in ZR. I find the dynamic between him and five interesting. Why would Five be friends with someone who, at first glance, comes off as a flirtatious pain in the rear? Why does Simon care at all what happens to Runner Five when it seems like he only cares about himself?


End file.
